Well-tube.



PATENTED APR. 28, 1903.

E. P. FOX. I WELL TUBE.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 1. 1902.

2 SHEETSr-SHEBT 1.

N0 MODEL.

Qwuyzwfoz lttozwmp dramas EDNVARD P. FOX, OF LAKE ARTHUR, LOUISIANA,

WELL TUBE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 726,418, dated April 28, 1903.

Application filed December 1 1902. Serial No.133,438. (No model.)

To (ZZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD P. FOX, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lake Arthur, in the parish of Oalcasieu and State of Louisiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in WVell-Tubes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to well-tubes, and has for one of its objects to provide a well-tube which is not liable to be deteriorated by salt, potash, or other chemicals in water, and is therefore particularly adapted for use in the marshy rice-lands of Louisiana and Texas.

Another object is to provide a Well-tube composed of tubular sections adapted to be readily connected in a strong and durable manner precedent to being driven into the ground.

The invention will be fully understood from the following description and claims when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section illustrative of the manner in which my improved Well-tube is driven in the ground; Fig. 2, an end view of one of the sections comprised in the tube; Fig. 3, aview, partly in elevation and partly in section, of the tube-section, the sectional part of said view being taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4, an enlarged detail view of one of the wood strips comprised in thetube-section.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all of the several views of the drawings, referring to which A is the lower section of my improved welltube, and B an intermediate section, of which latter any suitable number may be employed.

The said sections,respectively,com prise a circular series of vertical wood strips of keystone form in crosssection, Fig. 2, and galvanized or copper wire 0, tightly coiled about the circular series of wood strips and connected at its ends thereto by staples a, Fig. 3, or other suitable means. The wood strips of the lower section A are lettered b and c, the strips 0 being arranged between and extending above the strips b, so as to form projecting tongues c. The wood strips of the intermediate section B are lettered d and e, and the strips e, which are arranged between invention.

of the sections embodied in the tube may be provided with such openings.

In placing my improved tube in theground the section A is driven into the ground until its tongues 0' alone project above the ground. The section B is then placed on the section A, with its lower tongues e between the tongues c, and the joint thus made is wrapped with Wire, as indicated by h, and the ends of the wire are secured by staples a, or other suitablemeans- The driving of the tube is then resumed until the upper tongues e of section "B alone project above the ground, when anothensection (not shown) is placed on and secured to the section B in the manner described. This operation is repeated until a sufficient length of tube is sunk in the ground.

The upper end of the tube may be formed by a section similar to the section B without involving a departurefrom the scope of my I prefer, however, to form the upper end of the tube of a section similar to section A, but inverted so that its smooth end will be uppermost.

It will be readily appreciated from the fore going that notwithstanding the facility with which the sections may be connected the connection is a strong and durable one and Well calculated to'stand the shock and strain incident to the driving of the tube and to hold the sections together for an indefinite period.

In virtue of the tube being formed of Wood and galvanized or copper wire it is not liable to be deteriorated by salt, potash, and other chemicals present in the water, and hence will last much longer than metal tubes, which corrode and become useless after a short period of use.

Inasmuch as my improved tube is not liable to be affected by salt, potash, or other chemicals in water, it is especially adapted for use in the marshy rice-lands of Louisiana and Texas.

I prefer to drive the tube into a hole bored in the ground to the depth desired, and I also prefer to use a work-pipe in the tube incident to the sinking of the latter. When the tube is thus to be placed in the ground, it is provided at its lower end with a Valve, (not shown,) and the work-pipe is supplied with water made thick with mud. Sections of the work-pipe are connected at the same time as the sections of tube and the tube is packed throughout its length with sawdust. The tube is turned by any suitable means until it is sunk to the depth desired, when the workpipe is withdrawn and the sawdust washed out of the tube.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. The herein-described well-tube made up of sections, each of which consists essentially of a circular series of wood strips of keystone form in cross-section, arranged with their reduced portions inward, and having openings for the admission of Water, and a piece of wire coiled about the series of strips, cover? ing the openings therein, and secured to the strips; the alternate strips of each section extending beyond the other strips thereof to form tongues, and the sections being superposed With the said tongues interlocked.

2. Awell-tube comprising a circular series of wood strips of keystone form in cross-section, arranged with their reduced portions inward, and having openings for the admission of water, and a piece of wire coiled about the series of strips, covering the openings therein, and secured to the strips.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWARD P. FOX.

Witnesses:

J. C. HOBER, FRED E. Jones. 

